Jan II the Good
John II of Opole (also John the Good, Polish John II Dobry; Czech Hanus Opolský; * 1460, † March 27, 1532 in Ratibor ) was Duke of Opole from 1476 to 1532 and from 1521 to 1532 Duke of Ratibor. He was the last male descendant of the Opole Silesian branch of the Piast dynasty. 1531 he issued the Great State privilege, enshrined, inter alia, belonging to the crown of Bohemia with and was intended to be the official language Czech.
Origin and family
John's parents were Nicholas I of Opole (1420-1476) and Magdalena († 1497 ), daughter of Duke Louis II of Brieg from his second marriage to Elizabeth of Brandenburg.
After his father's death in 1476 John took over together with his younger brother, Nicholas II, the government over the Duchy of Opole. Since John's year of birth is not known and is not mentioned in the sources a guardianship, it is likely that he had already reached the age of majority at that time. John's older brother Ludwig ( ~ 1450-1475/75 ) died shortly before the Father. The younger brothers Boleslaw and Bernhard died around 1477 in childhood. In addition, John had four sisters:
- Machna († 1468/72 ), ∞ 1462 Duke Primislaus of Tost († 1484 )
- Elisabeth ( † 1507), Poor Clare in Wroclaw
- Magdalena († 1501) ∞ 1478 Duke Johann III. of ( Opava ) Ratibor († 1493 )
- Catherine ( † 1507), a nun in Wroclaw
Life
Already during the reign of John's father, there was a power struggle between the Bohemian King George of Podiebrad and the Hungarian king Matthias Corvinus. He spent the greater part of Moravia and Silesia under his control and had himself elected King of Bohemia in Olomouc. Like his father Johann was initially on the side of the allies of Matthias Corvinus, who laid the foundations for the Silesian corporate state and an effective state administration built. Soon after his accession as Duke of Opole Johann took part together with the Breslau Bishop Rudolf of Rüdesheim, the Bishop of Oradea Johann Filipec at an Italian expedition, which was to initiate the marriage of Beatrix, a daughter of Ferdinand I of Naples and Matthias Corvinus. While John and his brother Nicholas worshiped nor king Matthias 1479, they turned away from him in the 1480s because they were dissatisfied with the tax policy and the states hostile centralization measures. In April 1487 requested Johann and his brother the Emperor Frederick III. at the Nuremberg Reichstag to support against Matthias Corvinus. After returning they were during a day in Prince Cosel by Johann Bjelik of Kornitz, which had been used by King Matthias as governor of Upper Silesia, captured. After the homage of the king and the payment of 30,000 florins they were released. Nevertheless, John and Nicholas joined later one directed against the king Matthias Lower Silesia alliance, which include the Dukes of Sagan John II and Henry the Elder. heard by Münsterberg. After the Lower Silesian princes had lost to King Matthias Corvinus the struggle for Glogau, gave John and his brother 1489 the hostile position against Corvinus on and accepted its demand for a payment of 15,000 florins and the pledge of three castles.
Probably in an irresponsible state committed Johanns brother Nicholas in 1497 put a stop to the Teschen Duke Casimir II, who exercised the office of chief provincial governor. As punishment, Nicholas was beheaded this year in Neisse on June 27. Although John initially intended to avenge the tragic death of his brother, he refrained, after he found no support for this plan of King Vladislav II.
During his long reign succeeded John, his paternal inheritance, which consisted of the part duchies Opole, Strehlitz, Falkenberg and Oberglogau to by purchase and inheritance contracts significantly increase. Already in 1477 he acquired with his brother Nicholas, the area around new town, which had belonged until then Conrad of oil. 1492, the brothers acquired the reign of William II of Gliwice Pernštejna, and 1497 Tost. 1498 succeeded Johann to acquire the area around Falkenberg and the former Duchy of Bytom, which had been pledged to John of Zerotin. Ten years later he became the Duke of Cosel, he also later received the pledge rule over the Duchy of Münsterberg.
Since Johann feared a spread of the Reformation in his duchy, he turned in 1524 with a letter to Pope Clement VII, whom he asked for help. At the same time he pointed to the activities of the Lutherans in his country and go to the inability of the local clergy, who think only of his material resources and not to the ministry. However, the sympathetic response letter from the Pope could not prevent the spread of the Reformation. However, John also did not occur from a Charles I of Münsterberg initiated at Catholic alliance, which was directed against the spread of Lutheranism in Silesia.
Johann supported the cities, crafts and mining his country. In 1528, he issued after ore near Tarnowitz had been found previously, a written in German mining order, which was groundbreaking for the Upper Silesian mining. It regulated in 72 articles, the mining law and determined the establishment of mining offices and working hours and wages of miners.
As in 1529 adopted a defensio order to avert Turkish threat and Silesia was divided into four groups, the King of Bohemia and later Emperor Ferdinand I. Johann appointed to captain one of these circles. He should take over the defense of the Upper Silesian areas. The withdrawal of the Turks it was unnecessary.
Johann said to have been a prudent and far-sighted father of his country, who ran a stocks -friendly policies. He died at the age of almost 80 years in Ratibor. According to his wish, he was buried in the parish church of the Holy Cross in Opole.
Large country privilege
On September 8, 1531 issued to Duke John of the Duchy of Opole - Ratibor the written in Czech Large country privilege, which is also known as " Hanusisches privilege." It should protect children Johanns country after the extinction of the Opole Silesian branch of the Piast dynasty against foreign despotism. In 30 chapters, the applicable legal standards were detained. At the same time the membership of the for ever inseparably united duchies of Opole and Ratibor was committed to the crown of Bohemia and determines the official language of the Czech. As a joint coat of arms of Opole and Ratibor a golden crowned eagle was set on a blue background. Residents were obliged in the event of an external threat to the national defense. The stands was granted to pay homage to the sovereign only in Opole or Ratibor the right. After the death of Duke John, a parliament should the king or from the Silesian Upper Governor, who served as governor of the king, to be convened, which should exercise the supreme power in the country. In 1558 the country privilege of Emperor Ferdinand I was confirmed in his capacity as King of Bohemia. 1562 it went down in order for the country principalities Opole and Ratibor, 1757 it was translated into German.
Erbvereinbarungen and Successions
At the heritage of John, who was not married and had no children, several princes were interested. Already in 1478 confirmed King Matthias Corvinus a contract of inheritance between Opole and Ratibor. Although death by Corvin also King Vladislav II had confirmed the contract of inheritance of 1478, he still approved more Erbvereinberungen with:
- King Sigismund I of Poland, a brother of the Czech King Vladislav II, who abdicated his claim to Casimir II of Cieszyn;
- The Prague Castle Count Lev of Rosental Sidonius, a nephew of King George of Podiebrad,
- Duke Frederick II of Liegnitz of overland and Wohlau and
- Margrave George of Brandenburg -Ansbach, who possessed the confidence of his cousin, the Archduke Ludwig.
With the aforementioned contract of inheritance of 1478 John joined a Erbvereinbarung with the Přemyslids Johann V. von Ratibor, who was married to John's sister Magdalena. After Johann 1511 by the Czech king Vladislav II was given the right to be able to determine his successor free, 1512 came a new contract of inheritance with the last Troppauer Přemyslids, Duke Valentine of Ratibor, which was also confirmed by the king. After the Duchy of Opole between Valentine of Ratibor and George should be shared by Brandenburg in the case of children of John Wi death. For children Valentine Wi death is a transition of the Duchy Ratibor to Johann was provided. This happened in 1521 with the death of a Duke Valentine, so that the Duchy Ratibor came to John, who joined those two duchies to the Duchy of Opole - Ratibor. In the same year Johann purchased by the city or mountain with some neighboring villages. Thus he was able to unite almost all Upper Silesian territories, which were caused by repeated divisions in his hand. Opole - Ratibor was thus one of the greatest duchies in Silesia.
1522 was between John and the other candidates to a comparison to John's legacy: Margrave George of Brandenburg -Ansbach was intended for the sole heir, while the other three should be resigned after John 's death with 40,000 guilders. During his lifetime John George of Brandenburg -Ansbach was given dominion or mountain with the title of Duke of Ratibor.
After 1526, the Habsburg Ferdinand I. ascended the Bohemian throne, there was a fundamental political change. To prevent the spread of Hohenzollern, and thus of Protestantism in Silesia, Ferdinand intended to collect the Duchy of Opole - Ratibor Johanns death as a completed fief and thereby make it a Erbfürstentum. Therefore, he invited John of Opole in 1528 to Prague. There he intimidated John by pointing to Czech law claims such a that it renounced the inheritance contract with George of Brandenburg -Ansbach. In order to keep in case of death Opole for the Habsburgs, Ferdinand instructed the Governor of Świdnica and Jawor, Caspar Schaffgotsch to pull his troops there. The defeat of Ferdinand in the fight against the Turks and the cash requirements associated with them and a strong resistance to the Protestant princes of the empire forced Ferdinand, however, to give in a. In the Prague agreement dated June 17, 1531 George was assured of Brandenburg-Ansbach of mortgage possession of Opole - Ratibor for a payment of 183 333 guilders and the rule of Bytom on two heirs and the rule Odersberg promised on three heirs.
Under a special provision of the Treaty of 1531 George of Brandenburg -Ansbach was a pledge of Mr. Opole until one year after John's death compete. Before the personal estate of John was largely brought to Vienna.